“I give thanks to my God at every remembrance
of you...because of your partnership for the Gospel from the first
day until now.”Phil 1:3,5

Among the most difficult of virtues to foster is fidelity: the
choice to hold fast to what is truest and best when offered other
options. If we look at our own failings and shortcomings, we can
see that our sins are nothing more than a lack of faithfulness to
God’s Love. Yet despite our human tendencies against fidelity
to the love of God, today we see St. Paul praising the Philippians
for their faithfulness in “partnering” in the Gospel.
Yet, I can’t help but thinking that their ability to partner
could come only from their great faith in the instruction that they
received.

I often wonder whether I have faith and resolve enough to persevere
in partnering with our Lord in His work of Love among us. Knowing
my numerous flaws, I question if I’ll make it through “until
the day of Christ Jesus.” In spite of my doubt, I look at
the subject of our Gospel today. Although specifically about the
Sabbath laws, I see Jesus’ message as one of living out the
law for what it was most meant originally: Love. So, I know that
if I am faithful to the love which God has shown us, I may hope
to be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

Today is All Hallows Eve. As we prepare to celebrate tomorrow the
lives of those who have passed before us into eternal life, I pray
that we can remind ourselves that they, though fallen like us, were
able to show fidelity until the end to Christ and that if we also
remain faithful to his law of Love, we, too, may find ourselves
with Him and them in Heaven one day.